1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an insert and specifically relates to an insert that includes a hollow tube and of which at least a portion is inserted into a subject. The present invention relates to an attachment member that is formed to be engageable with a hollow tube.
2. Related Art
An ultrasonic examination method is known as a kind of image inspection method that may non-invasively inspect the state inside a living body. In the ultrasonic examination, an ultrasound probe that may transmit and receive ultrasonic waves is used. In a case where ultrasonic waves are transmitted from an ultrasound probe to a subject (living body), the ultrasonic waves advance inside the living body, and the ultrasonic waves are reflected on a tissue interface. The reflected ultrasonic waves are received by an ultrasound probe, and a distance is calculated based on time until the reflected ultrasonic waves return to the ultrasound probe, so as to image the state of the inside.
Photoacoustic imaging for imaging the inside of a living body by using the photoacoustic effect is known. Generally, in the photoacoustic imaging, a living body is irradiated with pulsed laser light. In the inside portion of the living body, the living tissue absorbs energy of the pulsed laser light, and ultrasonic waves (photoacoustic waves) are generated due to adiabatic expansion by the energy. In a case where photoacoustic waves are detected with an ultrasonic probe or the like, and a photoacoustic image is formed based on the detection signal, the visualization in the living body based on the photoacoustic wave may be performed.
Here, JP2015-037519A discloses that photoacoustic waves are generated in an insert inserted into a subject, and a photoacoustic image is generated based on the photoacoustic waves. In JP2015-037519A, light emitted from a light source is guided to a portion near a distal end of a puncture needle that is an insert using light guiding means such as an optical fiber. A light absorbing member or the like is arranged near the distal end of a puncture needle, and the light absorbing member is irradiated with light from a light emission end of the optical fiber. According to this light irradiation, photoacoustic waves are generated near the distal end of the puncture needle. The photoacoustic waves are detected by using a probe, and the photoacoustic image is generated based on the detected photoacoustic waves, so as to confirm the position near the distal end of the puncture needle using the photoacoustic image.